Leaders of farmers' agitation will also meet the visiting PM and voice grievances regarding their demands that have been met, but only on paper. Protesting to get MSP (Minimum Support Price) for their crops and farm loan waivers among other things, the agitating farmers intend on handing over a memorandum to the Prime Minister.

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Dev Ankur Wadhawan

March 8, 2018

UPDATED: March 8, 2018 16:23 IST

PM Modi at Jhunjhunu,Rajasthan: (Photo/ANI)

HIGHLIGHTS

Leaders of farmers' agitation will meet the visiting PM and voice grievances regarding their demands

The Prime Minister will hold a public rally along with Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje

In September last year, the Raje-led government had agreed to fulfil some of the key demands of the agitating farmers.

The Prime Minister also held a public rally along with Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje today.

According to reports, leaders of farmers' agitation will meet the visiting PM and voice grievances regarding their demands that have only been met on paper.

Demanding minimum support price (MSP) for their crops and farm loan waivers among other things, the agitating farmers intend to hand over a memorandum to the Prime Minister.

Modi's visit today is also aimed at expanding the reach of the National Nutrition Mission.

Amraram, former CPI(M) MLA and leader of farmer agitation in Rajasthan, had earlier said, "The first action is to give him the memorandum. To remind him about the anti-democratic step of the Rajasthan government and the promises that the Prime Minister had made in 2014."

Farmers in Rajasthan have been at loggerheads with the Vasundhara Raje government for some time now.

In September last year, the Raje-led government had agreed to fulfil some of the key demands of the agitating farmers.

This was after the protesting farmers took to the roads and blocked NH 52, which connects Agra to Bikaner and almost completely paralysed vehicular traffic in at least six districts of Rajasthan, including Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Bikaner, Jaipur and Sriganganagar.

The farmers had then put forth several demands before the state government that included the implementation of Swaminathan Commission Report and waiver of farm loans among others.

But, dissatisfied with the nonfulfillment of the promises made by the government, the farmers laid a siege of the Rajasthan State Assembly on February 22.

Fearing widespread unrest, the government also ordered arrest of some of the key leaders of the farmers' agitation.

Now, the leaders intend on reaching out to farmers in different villages and plan their future strategy.